Plane bound for Danbury lands on highway in NYC

Staff reports

Updated 10:22 pm, Saturday, January 4, 2014

Photo: Patricia Sapol, AP

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In this photo provided by Patricia Sapol, emergency personnel respond to a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. The Piper PA-28, set down at around 3:20 p.m. on the northbound side of the highway. Police and fire officials said neither the male pilot nor two female passengers appeared to have been badly hurt. less

In this photo provided by Patricia Sapol, emergency personnel respond to a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. ... more

Photo: Patricia Sapol, AP

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In this photo provided by Patricia Sapol, emergency personnel respond to a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. No major injuries were reported but northbound traffic was halted as fuel was removed from the aircraft before it could be removed from the highway. less

In this photo provided by Patricia Sapol, emergency personnel respond to a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. ... more

Photo: Patricia Sapol, AP

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In this photo downloaded from the New York City Fire Departmentís Twitter account, firefighters stand near a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. Fire officials say all were taken to a hospital, but there have been no immediate reports of serious injuries. (AP Photo/New York City Fire Department)

In this photo downloaded from the New York City Fire Departmentís Twitter account, firefighters stand near a light airplane that made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of

In this photo downloaded from the New York City Police Departmentís Twitter account, a light airplaneís fuselage rests on the roadway after its pilot made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx borough of New York, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2014. Officials said that there were no serious injuries after the Piper PA-28, set down at around 3:20 p.m. on the northbound side of the highway. After safely removing the fuel from the aircraft, a flatbed truck eventually carried the plane off the highway. less

In this photo downloaded from the New York City Police Departmentís Twitter account, a light airplaneís fuselage rests on the roadway after its pilot made an emergency landing on the Major Deegan Expressway ... more

Photo: AP

Plane bound for Danbury lands on highway in NYC

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A small plane returning to Danbury after a tour of the Statue of Liberty was forced to make an emergency landing on a busy highway in New York City Saturday afternoon, startling drivers but causing no serious injuries.

The aircraft, a Piper PA-28, set down at around 3:20 p.m. on the northbound side of the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx, in an area where the highway passes through Van Cortlandt Park.

Federal Aviation Administration officials said three people were on board. All were taken to a hospital, but police and fire officials said neither the male pilot nor two female passengers appeared to have suffered serious injuries.

New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio called the safe landing extraordinary, and said it was "a bit of a miracle," that nobody was seriously hurt or killed.

FAA officials said damage to the aircraft was minor. Photos taken by bystanders showed a small, blue and white plane largely intact, but resting on its belly by the snowy edge of the road. The plane's landing gear appeared to have collapsed.

In an interview Saturday afternoon, she said the plan was being moved off the expressway on flatbed truck. The aircraft was taken to local aviation facility while FAA officials completed their investigation of the incident. Silvestri said she did not know if the plane was being returned to Danbury.

The highway was closed and emergency personnel remained on the scene Saturday afternoon.

FAA records indicated the aircraft is registered to registered to Michael Schwartz, of South Salem, N.Y., the New York Times reported. It was not immediately clear whether he was at the controls during the crash.

The pilot was able to land on the usually heavily trafficked expressway because a crew of city workers repairing potholes on the roadway had largely blocked off much of the traffic, creating a stretch of cleared lanes north of it.

The workers helped the plane occupants until emergency workers arrived.

Patricia Sapol, 29, of West Point, N.Y., was driving south on the highway with her husband when they saw emergency vehicles surrounding the downed plane, about 15 minutes after the landing.

"We couldn't believe it! We thought, `Oh my god, that's a plane!' It was pretty incredible," she said. "The fact that there was no actual crash we thought was pretty surprising."

Associated Press and New York Times reports are included.

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